London / NationalTurk – Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 Champions League Semi Final first leg ended with a 1-0 Chelsea victory vs Barcelona. Chelsea is taking a narrow, yet precious, lead to Barcelona’s Camp Nou. Chelsea played with exceptional levels of defensive organisation, togetherness, compactness and structure, Chelsea players put effort, concentration and some good old-fashioned luck from football gods awarded to them. All Chelsea players should feel great confidence from demonstrating that this brilliant, often mesmerizing Barcelona side, which can be the nightmare of their opponents, can be beaten. Barcelona tried everything, did everything in fact, except scoring.

However even with the lead from Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 UEFA Champions League first leg, Barcelona is too refined for Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea to start thinking of themselves as favourites vs Barcelona at Cap Nou.

Chelsea vs Barcelona match’s first 45 minutes and a minute of stoppage time saw Chelsea being dominated by Barcelona. The Blaugranas from Catalunya had chance after chance and unsuprisingly more than 75% of ball possession. But, there seemed to be a plan in place, as Chelsea defended well for a lot of the half although Barcelona found some gaps in Chelsea’s defence. Chelse looked to break on the counter over and over again through Ramirez and Lampard. They were caught offside five times, but managed to sting Barcelona on their last counter of the 1st half. At the end of the 1st half the scoreboard read Chelsea 1 Barcelona 0, thanks to Didier Drogba’s finish on two man attack by him and the owner of the assist, Ramires.

Barcelona’s first big oppurtunity at Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 clash came in the 9th minute. A chance for Alexis Sanchez was set up by Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta with a great exchange that resulted with a ball over the top of the defense by Andres Iniesta. Alexis Sanchez latched onto it and attempted to chip Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, but hit the crossbar and the Chelsea defense was quick to clear the danger away.

Only a minute later, Gary Cahill had only one of two chances for Chelsea in the first half on a long throw by Branislav Ivanovic, but put his effort just wide. Barcelona maintained to control possession in the game.

Barcelona had the best chance of Chelsea vs Barcelona game in the 17th minute, when they had actually multiple chances on a single position. Lionel Messi launched the move with his non-stoppable dribbling talent through traffic before laying off to Adriano, who set up Iniesta for a shot. The shot found its mark however Cech saved it, but could only parry the ball into the lap of lurking Cesc Fabregas. He should have been able to score, but put his shot embarrassingly wide.

Chelsea almost gave Barcelona a massive gift in the 43rd minute as John Obi Mikel stupidly gave the ball away deep in midfield, giving hungry Barcelona an oppurtunity to build a quick counter. Lionel Messi played a fantastic through ball to Fabregas, who chipped Cech, but Ashley Cole ran back quickly and made a fantastic clearance off the line.

As everyone at Stamford Bridge thought the first half of Chelsea vs Barcelona going to end 0-0, Chelsea scored on a lightning quick counter attack which was the last move of the half. Incredibly and adding to the drama unfolding, the chance started when Messi gave the ball away. Lampard launched the attack with a great ball to amazing Ramires, who created space for himself with his blazing speed speedy gonzales would envy. He laid a perfect ball across the box to the far post for Drogba, who performed the simple finish. 1-0 for Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 version at the intemission!

The guilty man was, of all people, Lionel Messi. Frank Lampard dispossessed him just inside the Chelsea half and immediately looked to send Ramires running clear on the inside-left channel and, from that moment, Barcelona were in trouble. Ramires smoothed the ball on his chest, advanced towards the penalty area with speed and turned the ball into the centre. Drogba partially scuffed his shot but it was enough to beat Barcelona keeper Victor Valdés.

For Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 game this goal was an absolute game changer. Barcelona had been completely in control, Messi looked like the best player on the pitch and Drogba looked a bit off the pace and alone amid Barcelona defenders for the entire half of Chelsea vs Barcelona clash. In one 15-second sequence, all of that became irrelevant.

There were times, all the same, when Barcelona played with suave brilliance. Yet there were moments, equally, when Chelsea’s opponents did not look as if they were enjoying themselves. alexis Sánchez, once again, let Chelsea off, turning a 56th-minute shot past the post. Inferior as Chelsea were, there was some supreme even valiant defending at times, most notably Ashley Cole’s goal-line clearance to keep out Fábregas and the countless blocks and interceptions from John Terry and Gary Cahill.

Petr Cech also joinedthe fray of savage defending to save them with the outstanding save of the match, keeping out Carles Puyol’s glancing header with only three minutes to go in the game of Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 version, a revenge game of two teams met in 2009 and Barcelona ‘ undeservedly ‘ went past Chelsea to Champions League Finals to claim it all afterwards.

Even then there was more drama as Pedro hit the post and Sergio Busquets turned the rebound over the crossbar.

Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 : At Camp Nou everything is possible

It was a brilliant night for Chelsea, yet one that also demonstrated what an immense performance they will need in Catalonia next Tuesday. After the first 20 minutes Chelsea fans chanted ‘ole’s whenever Chelsea could possess the ball to encourage a caged Chelsea vs Barcelona. In the end Chelsea managed to give Barcelona its first Champions League loss in 14 months, leaving the Chelsea vs Barcelona 2012 Champions League contest delicately poised.